Tying Loose Ends
by thesoutherncross100
Summary: Now a successful businessman and head of his own airline company, life seems to be on track for Littlefoot until he has a visit from his former love. Meanwhile James finds himself becoming enemies with someone he least expects to while simultaneously helping his friend and trying to keep a secret which would bring the whole Mafia down from being released.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Along the scenic roads of Sicily James drove. To his right, Charmaine sat in the passenger seat cradling their three year old son Michael in her hands. In the backseat, of the Aston Martin Rapide, their older son Armando was taking a nap. Usually there would be chatter between James and Charmaine but this time, neither of them spoke. No it wasn't because they didn't want to wake Armando up. If they wanted to talk in the vicinity of sleeping children, the two would simply lower their voice.

Rather, Charmaine was a little pissed off with her husband. She knew the deal he made with Marcus Giovanni about letting "a true blood Italian" run Italy and yet here they were on their way to James' new residence in Sicily. Earlier in the day she had wanted to confront him about the matter but Michael ran into the kitchen asking for chips. Since she didn't want to go off on her husband in front of the kids, she decides to talk about it later in private.

Unfortunately for her, James could sense something wrong with his wife and unlike her, he didn't care if the kids had to listen to all of it.

"Something up?" He asks.

"Something up?" She glares at him angrily. "You lied to Giovanni! That's what's up!"

"Look, I couldn't let Littlefoot get blown up or shot through the face!"

"So you'll betray a friend to save a friend?"

"To be honest with you, honey. Don Giovanni hasn't exactly been on good terms with me, not after Ali's return."

"I'm not talking about Roberto, I'm talking about the deal you made with Marcus."

"What deal?"

"The one about letting a true blood Italian run Italy?"

"But I killed the true-blood Italian."

"What about his son?"

"You're not actually asking me to let seven year old Mario Giovanni run the show are you?"

Charmaine turns her head away from her husband and looks out the window, hoping the beautiful Sicilian scenery would cool her down. She still couldn't comprehend why her husband would take over Don Giovanni's business, even though it was good for the family and everyone else in the long run. In the meantime, far away from the beautiful roads of Italy, rain poured down on the shipping town of Calais. Near the pier and on opposite ends, Littlefoot and his former girlfriend stared each other in the eye.

It had been awhile since they've met but despite this, both still held affection for each other. Lightning flashed in the sky, accompanied by the sound of thunder's loud roar. Slowly, Littlefoot approached Ali, the disappointment in his eyes now more evident than ever.

"Didn't we promise each other that we would be together?" She shouts. "Didn't we?"

"We did, Ali." He answers. "You were the one who elected to leave."

"It was a mistake! I forgot to contain my emotions!"

"Well you were too late, because the minute Cera and I fell in love, it was over for you!"

"Can't we try-"

"No we can't, Ali! Cera and I are married and we are about to adopt a pair of younglings!"

"If that's so, then I will make sure she knows what pain and sorrow feels like."

Without warning, Ali lunged at her former partner and threw him to the ground. He was now just a few feet from the edge and all she needed was one good kick and he would go down and suffer the same watery death as his mother. But then, fate intervened by making her hesitate. She closed her eyes, trying to garner enough strength to power through her guilt and deliver the final blow. This was enough to allow Littlefoot to get back on his feet and he goes on the offensive.

Some would call this unnecessary but it was to Littlefoot. Who knows if she could attack him while he tried to back off? While Littlefoot only intended to knock his ex-girlfriend onto the ground, he applied a little too much force and smashed her off the pier and into the water.

"Ali, no!" He cried

 _SPLASH_

For a few seconds, all Littlefoot could see were the heavy waves crashing onto the docks. Then a head broke through the surface. Ali coughed, struggling to keep her head above the surface of the water. If Littlefoot did not have a new partner, he might've jumped in to save her but he did and there was too much for him to lose. He could only watch on the dock as the currents dragged his former girlfriend under time and time again, only for her to break the surface.

She was as determined as his late mother to survive and the scene of her struggling did remind him of Madeline. Suddenly, a strong current dragged Ali under before she could even take a breath of air. As she coiled her head to look back, she realized she was the one who was about to meet a watery end. A vortex had been created by the strong currents and it was dragging her deeper and deeper down. But Ali was a fighter and she struggled as hard as she could.

Even without much oxygen in her lungs, she kicked and paddled. Slowly, she could feel the vortex's grip loosening. This vortex must be weaker than the one Madeline got caught up in. If she could just paddle hard enough, she might just be able to break free and power for the surface.

With each kick, bubbles rose from her nostrils. Oh how much she craved for air right now…


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Gunfire raged just outside the White Palace as Elysian Forces closed in on the Kingdom's center of power. Though the tanks have made great headway in the earlier encounter, the tight streets and strict orders to preserve the capitol as much as possible prevented their deployment. Not even IFVs could roll in without causing a whole damn building to come crashing down. The infantry had to move in on their own but High Command made all the necessary measures to increase their effectiveness against enemy forces.

Longer M16 rifles of all variants were replaced with shorter M4A1 Carbines and M60E7s which were still being flown in from Elysium were distributed to as many infantry units as possible. In every squad, the grenadier who usually had a M4A1 Carbine or M16A4 with an underslung M203 grenade launcher was now issued an experimental weapon; the XM29 OICW. Originally a cancelled military project, the OICW was picked up by Delta Arms which under James' orders began further development.

So far, the built in laser rangefinder system had been upgraded and was given the latest microprocessor, allowing the whole package to become more compact.

House by house, the infantrymen burst through, gunning down all those who tried to charge them with accurate semi-automatic carbine fire. When the going got tough, the SAW gunner would be the first through and he would lay down a wall of lead and mow down the defenders. If someone was annoying the piss out of a squad from behind cover, the grenadier would fire one of the 20mm airburst grenades from his XM29 and deal with the threat without having to overcome the barrier with armor piercing rounds.

With each inch of ground captured, King Lancelot grew more and more desperate for a breakthrough and his worriedness intensified. But his worries couldn't even hold a candle to another individual's. And this individual was also stuck in the White Palace. His name was Daniel, an Indomimus Rex who was a former teacher at Ricardo Crockett High. Originally he was neutral on the war but joined King Lancelot's side after falling for his lies about how Elysium would begin a systematic purge of non-humans after the war was over.

Two miles from the White Palace, the hastily built defensive line went up against Elysian Forces for the first time. Unlike other defensive lines in the past however, this one was not just comprised of conscripts. So called "royal militia" units comprising of those who were originally deemed unfit were sent up to reinforce the lines. Not even the boy scouts were spared and boys as young as twelve were forced to take up arms and fight for the sake of the monarchy.

It was a massacre for all those who witnessed the battle first hand. Better armed and better trained, the Elysians suffered only minor casualties. Sure, it always takes more men to take a position than it does to hold it. But when the attackers have superior weapons and training, they are bound to roll over any inferior defensive force, especially ones comprised of inexperienced old men, tweens, and those deemed unfit for regular military service. Besides, the Elysian army had better weapons than their Imperial counterparts too.

"Ivan, I can see the White Palace from here!" One of the soldiers shouted. "They don't stand a chance."

"We finally did it, Manfred!" His comrade shouts back. "All those bloody months battling the scum."

Their morale boosted by the sight of the enemy's center of power, Ivan and Manfred joined their comrades as they began their assault on the final line of defense. Situated just one mile away from the palace itself, the line was more of an indicator of defeat than anything else. Well, for the Imperial Officers anyways. Somehow, through all this madness and with the enemy this close to his palace, King Lancelot still believed in victory. To protect himself and his staff from the bombs which now started to rain down on the White Palace, King Lancelot moves into the underground bunker.

Daniel and his family were also invited to the bunker by Lancelot, who felt they would be safer underground than they would be above, even though they were not vital to the war effort. They were allowed to occupy the guest accomodations which comprised of a bedroom with four beds and a small living room with an old TV set. All the walls in the bunker were soundproof but Daniel knew King Lancelot was getting more and more insane by the day, given the fact that his personal staff were sometimes standing outside his planning room in droves.

While he had no idea what the king was doing, members of his general staff did.

"Traitors! All of you!" He snarls. "All these years I spent building this wonderful nation and you men could not hold even ONE CITY?!"

"Sir, we lack the resources or the arms!" Field Marshall Brad Sloane responds.

"Lack of resources... Out of everyone in this room, you General Brad Sloane dare say I did not grant you enough resources? YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SENT THE ARMY TO ITS DEATH!"

"Because they have better guns-"

"BETTER GUNS? WE HAVE BETTER MEN! I SHOULD'VE PURGED YOU ALL LIKE WHAT MY SOUTH CRETACEOUS COUNTERPART DID TO HIS GENERALS!" He sighs. "The whole of North Cretaceous has betrayed me! Every single last one of my citizens!"

Slowly, the hostile expression died down and King Lancelot grew from being angry to being depressed. For once, he saw defeat and knew it was a very real possibility. Still, he refused to let go of that one tiny glimmer of hope that somehow, somewhere, a miracle would happen.

"The war is not lost." He mumbles. "Just watch… A miracle will happen."

Some of his generals were in disbelief, most notably Field Marshall Brad Sloane. But what could they do?

Above ground, Elysian Forces stormed into the courtyard of the White Palace, easily overcoming Lancelot's personal security detail and remnants of the Imperial Army. They quickly burst into the palace itself and furious close quarters engagements ensued. Booby traps and bombs rigged all over the various corridors detonated whenever the Elysian soldiers tripped them and many lives were claimed. Most of the defenders resorted to ambushing their foes, achieving moderate results.

As Ivan and Manfred cleared the room where the throne was, an Italian looking man walked into the palace. Unlike the other soldiers, he wasn't wearing military fatigues, nor did he have a military issue weapon. Instead he was in a white pastel suit and had a Tommy gun in his hand. Soldiers running through the double door entrance of the palace were a little surprised to see a well-dressed civilian in the field, though none of them bothered to ask who he was.

Then an officer arrived…

"This is an active battlefield, sir." He said. "You better get out before you get shot."

"Oh, I'd be dead if I left North Cretaceous without finishing my boss' task." The man turns to face the officer. "Lieutenant Miles, may I know where the enemy is?"

"Probably in the bunker. Why you ask?"

"Oh, nothing. I just might need to follow your soldiers underground when they do decide to assault the bunker."

"I can't let you do that, whoever you are."

"Then you might want to talk to Don Burnett."

"Ah uhm… Sorry for the misunderstanding. I didn't know you were one of his people."

While Lieutenant Miles had no idea at the time, he had just bumped into George Francesco, one of James' best assassins. Ruthless, efficient, and loyal, he was the Mafia's finest hire so far. With him in the family, everyone truly began to fear the Mafia and its associates. Because if you double crossed the new Capo Di Tutti Capi, it's ciao ciao for you. George follows the soldiers as they blasted the lock of the of the bunker door with a shotgun and kicked the door down.

Like water gushing through a tap, they began flooding into the bunker, spraying rounds at anyone who tried to resist. Daniel knew his countrymen were upon him and dove down behind the coffee table just as they kicked the door down and burst into his room. Soldiers quickly locate the rest of his family in the bedroom and move them into the living room to join him while their comrades searched for King Lancelot and the rest of his staff.

Most of the generals surrendered without a fight but the king himself fought till the bitter end. Even though he was outnumbered and outgunned, he still charged his Elysian foes and took two down before a third Elysian soldier knocked him unconscious.

They were under strict orders to take him and the other general alive.

The same however could not be said for Daniel and his family. Since George Francesco said he had to meet with them privately, the soldiers left the room they were held up in and left them with the Mafia assassin. A recipe for disaster but what could they do? He was merely acting under orders of the Capo Di Tutti Capi.

"Don Burnett knows you have information about him." He said. "Information which should not be released."

"Yes and I told him that I would not release the information if he would pay my family and I twelve thousand Elysian Dollars per half month." Daniel answers.

"Guess what? You won't be telling anyone."

 _BANG_

Due to the fact that Daniel's wife and children were nearby, George had to deal with his target with his pistol to minimize collateral damage. Not like it mattered anyways since the wife leapt up in anger and tried to tackle the assassin to the ground. Her actions forced him to fire in self-defense and kill her in the process. In less than a minute, Daniel's two children were orphaned. Still, George showed no sympathy and left the room after holstering his pistol.

* * *

"Yes… Yes sir, I shall inform Don Burnett." Luca Clemenza puts his phone back in his pocket and sighs. "Another one bites the dust."

All around the rather luxurious residence, attendees of Littlefoot and Cera's wedding ceremony could be seen dancing as "I Have But One Heart" by Al Martino played in the background. Charmaine stood near the poolside with her old high school pals, exchanging experiences with one another. Every one of her friends was curious about how she could cope with her husband being the biggest crook of Elysium, even though he was mostly using his influence to help businessmen in need and those who could not seek justice through traditional means.

They all of course envied the fact that he pampered her with all sorts of luxuries that they could only dream about. While everyone had either an apple or Samsung smartphone, she had an Aster Vertu just like her husband and she could take any car out of his garage for a spin whenever she pleased. And unlike them, she could take James' plane if she wanted to travel far for vacation. Flying was something she did often with her husband, mostly because he flew to Dubai often.

Recently James expanded his legitimate side and began investing in the oil industry and his influence spread beyond Elysium. These days many from the UAE knew and respected him and many became associates of the Mafia to protect the Elysian branch of their businesses. Dubai was a great place to go shopping, as Charmaine put it "a place where the storerooms are filled with limited edition Rolexes". She herself bought a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Lady during one of her visits to Dubai with her husband

"Say, who's that?" Priscilla asks her friend, motioning towards a man who was walking towards James.

"That's Luca Clemenza." Charmaine explains. "One of his Caporegimes."

All of Charmaine's friends turn to look at James just in time to see his light smile disappear and the laid back expression on his face replaced with a serious look. James nods and turns towards Charmaine, waving to her and making hand gestures to signal that he was leaving the party early.

"Does he spend a lot of time with you?" Juliet asks.

"Yeah." Charmaine answers. "But sometimes he can be really busy."

"Aren't Caporegimes supposed to help lighten the burden?" Priscilla questions.

"Sometimes the boss still has to deal with it personally."

A roar of shouts and cries mixed in with applause made them all forget about James leaving early. Why? Because the bride and groom were walking up onto the stage.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

In the newly set up private dining room of James' residence, Don Burnett sat down in his chair. His underbosses and two Caporegimes were already seated. Members of his personal security detail stood on all four corners of the room and two more were positioned near the double door. Everyone had a glass of wine next to them and there were various seafood dishes cooked by the Capo Di Tutti Capi's personal chef, all dinner sized dishes as James really did not eat much at the wedding ceremony earlier.

No one spoke for the first five minutes as everyone grabbed whatever they wanted and placed it in their dishes. A kitchen servant soon entered the room and gave everyone an equal serving of Spaghetti Bolognese. Topped off with the best wine imported from Italy, it was surely a hearty meal for all. But James wasn't just here so he could have a meal with members of his organization. There was something extremely important they needed to discuss about, one which was vital to the survivability of the Mafia and its leader.

Earlier George Francesco had called all the way from North Cretaceous to inform the Don regarding the successful assassination of Daniel. He also brought news about how he had to kill Daniel's wife in self-defense as she had attacked him and this brought alarm to James since George also mentioned about killing both in the vicinity of Daniel's two children. For all intents and purposes, those two little ones could be used against him by anyone who wished to bring the organization down.

"Gentlemen I hope you all understand that I did not invite you over for a simple dinner and random gossip." The Don said, his voice slowly becoming that of a powerful figure's. "As you know Daniel and his wife are both dead, which leaves us with their children."

"Don Burnett, not even your father would be this unreasonable." Tommy Brasi responds. "Surely you wouldn't suggest killing them?"

"No, of course not." He chuckles lightly. "We just have to keep them from talking."

"How could two little ones possibly know anything?" Dom Umberto asks.

"Good question. Thing is, Daniel most likely knew a member of our organization would go after him and his wife, so he confesses to his children as well. After all, who would suspect an innocent child?"

"But how do we keep the younglings from talking? Children don't usually lie and when they do, the amount of guilt they feel would automatically make them blurt out the truth." Matteo Giuliano said. "That and delicious chocolate."

"Which I why I called for this dinner meeting in the first place. Anybody have any suggestions on how we might be able to deal with them?"

While the Mafia underbosses and Caporegimes debated amongst themselves and with the Don himself, Ali had just touched down in Nice. Finally she had come home from the war. If Littlefoot had been here, he would've been the first thing she saw at the airport and there would be an emotional reunion. Unfortunately thanks to her emotional outburst, he was gone and there was no reunion of any sort. Trotting alongside the female Apatosaurus were two little younglings; Mark and Danielle; one male one female.

They were the late Daniel and his wife's children and both of them had been adopted by Ali when she found them sobbing near the entrance of the bunker. Now they were in Elysium, taken here by Ali in the hopes of giving them a better life. She hails one of the D-Taxies and arrived in Menton with the younglings after a very lengthy journey by car which took her through Monte Carlo. Mark and Danielle were awestruck when they saw the vibrant nightlife for the first time.

So this was what their dad meant when he described Elysium at night. Ali's original plan was to take up temporary residence at her late father's place and move out the minute she found a job. Unfortunately for her, that place no longer belonged to Richard Nightingale or any member of the Nightingale family for that matter. The sight of Mafia Soldatos at the gate was the first sight of something out of place but somehow Ali missed the memo and continued on towards the door.

"Hold up there." One of them said. "Who are you exactly?"

"I'm Ali, the adoptive daughter of Richard Nightingale." She answers firmly. "And I'm pretty sure Richard owns the place."

"Not ever since last month I'm afraid." The second Soldato explains. "Charmaine Nightingale, the inheritor of this property, agreed to sell the residence to Littlefoot and his then girlfriend Cera."

"What do you mean "then girlfriend"?"

"They're married now."

All of a sudden, Ali felt the weight of having a million bricks placed on her head and she slowly became dizzy. Next thing she knew, her vision went blank and she collapsed onto the ground. Did her ex-boyfriend really just tie the knot before even giving her a second chance?

* * *

When Ali finally regained consciousness, she found herself in the living room of her old place. Every single one of the pictures hung up by her adoptive parents were gone and in their place were happy wedding portraits of Littlefoot and Cera. A pair of guards stood nearby, looking ready to escort her out the minute her vision fully cleared. Mark and Danielle were sitting quietly on the couch, watching an old cartoon on the large flatscreen TV which was currently played on the DVD player.

Oddly, the couple which currently owns the house was nowhere in sight. Where were Littlefoot and Cera? Ali wondered. Her question however, would not be answered. Because the minute she stood up, the guards who stood nearby sprang into action. They shut off the TV despite Mark and Danielle's pleas to let them finish the show and gestured for Ali and her adoptive children to follow them towards the gate. Even though it was raining heavily, there was no hospitality or sympathy shown.

The guards simply escorted them out of the gate and shut it right behind them, leaving the trio stranded under the rain. They didn't even bother to hail a cab for Ali and her adoptive children, forcing them to walk back into town under the relentless downpour. Unbeknownst to Ali, her ex-boyfriend had been watching her the entire time from the second floor master bedroom. He was the one who ordered the guards to take her into the residence momentarily after the guards informed him about her fainting just outside the gate.

Littlefoot was also the one who wanted to keep the gesture anonymous and thus, also gave his guards the order to usher the trio out the minute Ali regained her consciousness.

"Are you done reminiscing yet?" Cera asked in a very seductive voice, one which stuns her husband. "Or are you just going to stand there and admire the rain and a lost love?"

"I'm not reminiscing, Cera." He answers before turning in her direction. "I just realized how big of a problem we've got on our hands."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you notice that she has two little ones with her?"

"The two Sharpteeth? Yeah."

"Those are Daniel's children."

"Who's Daniel?"

"Let's just say he's someone you don't want to be friends with. That bugger had the balls to take on the Capo Di Tutti Capi himself!"

"Judging by the fact that his little ones are following a Longneck around, I think he's dead."

"Him and his wife."

"How big of a problem can they pose?"

"Very."

Littlefoot proceeds to explain the backstory of how it all came to be, just like he had been told by James. Unlike his human friend, he told it from a third person perspective of course. Before the war, Daniel had been a mathematics teacher at Ricardo Crockett high and had close relations with James as he was a former student there. James frequently made donations to fund the school's various expansion projects. He was also the one who formed the school's new shooting and junior racing teams.

Now since Daniel was close to James, he quickly gained the Capo Di Tutti Capi's trust and frequently became a person for him to share his darker side, one which he was not proud of. Many of the things Don Burnett told him were highly confidential, some so confidential even Littlefoot could not know. Which is why he sent George Francesco down to North Cretaceous to eliminate Daniel when he decided to milk some cash from James by threatening to release information about things he did.

To be brutally honest, while James might be more benevolent than his father, he wasn't exactly a poster parent either. In fact, some experts would say he is only more benevolent towards ordinary working Joes, his associates, friends, and family. Those who crossed him usually met tragic ends and if their families also knew some of the things they did, James would order the entire family to be silenced. The only reason why Daniel's two children were not silenced was because he had no idea Daniel was married and only got wind of this when George Francesco informed him about shooting the former teacher's wife in self-defense.

"Why didn't he simply order George to kill the children as well?" Cera asks. "I mean, come on. He's a Mafia boss."

"His father? Maybe. But James? No." Littlefoot answers. "James told me countless times before that he would not order the killing of children specifically."

"So if they are living with family members, they're dead. If they aren't, they're not."

"Precisely."

"Gee, I wonder which one's worse." She stares at the bed momentarily. "So, when are you ready?"

"How 'bout now?"

Littlefoot dismisses the guards and orders the final guard to lock the door when he left. Next thing they knew, the newlywed couple found themselves lying together in bed. Just like the day they fell for one another in the Great Valley, Littlefoot and Cera shared a nuzzle and licked one another on the left cheek. Now that they were alone, they could begin the action. Though they knew they could never produce a child through what they were about to do, Littlefoot and Cera wanted to proceed anyways.

What sort of couple would miss out on the action after finally tying the knot?


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

While he more than satisfied his thirst for pleasure during last night's moment of fiery passion and love, Littlefoot could not stop himself from being distracted by the thought of what Ali had in mind after she was removed from his property. As his chauffeur drove him towards his office, the Apatosaurus' mind kept wandering back to his ex. No matter how he tried to rid her from his mind, he just couldn't. Maybe it's the feeling of regret for not giving her a second chance or the realization that he had just single handedly turned his former love from the resident of a luxury residence to a street vagrant.

Whatever the case was, Littlefoot could not focus on the task at hand. Even when he stepped out of the G-Wagen limousine and into his office, his mind was still on Ali and not on the paperwork he was about to overview. That being said, he did notice a menacing looking black BMW E24 parked right next to the main entrance. It was clearly not a parking space but his guards didn't seem to mind. Someone powerful was definitely waiting for him inside; someone so powerful that his guards seemed too afraid to ask him to move.

"Monsieur Littlefoot." One of the guards said. "Don Burnett is waiting for you in your office."

"Ah, so that's why you two left the Beemer there." He sneers. "Carry on with your duties."

This is certainly an interesting start to a new day, Littlefoot thought. First it was the fact that he could not keep his mind off his ex and now the head of the Elysian Mafia has come down to visit him. The Apatosaurus picks up his pace and takes the elevator up to his office where he finds his old pal sitting in the executive lounge admiring a cigar which he took from a walnut chest on the lounge table.

"Fuente Don Arturo AnniverXario." James stands up, still holding the cigar. "Littlefoot Littlefoot Littlefoot… You really learnt a lot ever since you became a businessman."

"Still doesn't beat the Gurkha Black Dragon at your office." He reminds. "Now those are the ultimate cigars."

"True."

"So, why did you come to see me?"

"Well, I'm selling off Delta Arms and I was wondering if you wanted to buy."

"Nah, I'm not much of a weapons guy. Find someone else."

"Okay then, that's settled."

"Wait, you came all this way just to tell me that?"

"No, one of my Soldatos guarding your residence mentioned to me last night that your old love Ali came back and fainted outside the gates." He explains. "They also mentioned two little ones following her."

"Two Indomimus Rexes, yup."

"Do you know where they are now?"

"I'm not sure. But my best bet is-"

Before their conversation could continue, the intercom buzzer interrupted them and Littlefoot walked back to his table to answer it. Another visitor had just arrived and whoever it was didn't seem bothered to have someone else in the room with them. Having no idea who this visitor was, Littlefoot gave the order for the on-site security detail to dispatch a pair of escorts to bring the visitor up. When they did, both the Apatosaurus and his human friend had the shock of their lives.

Right in front of them was Littlefoot's ex-girlfriend Ali and the two little Indomimus Rexes were just behind her. Neither had any idea who James was since George Francesco left the room before making his call. James on the other hand knew exactly who the little ones were and quickly sent a text message to Tommy Brasi.

"Can't you give me a second chance?" Ali said. "I just did it because-"

"Look Ali, I'm married." Littlefoot reminds her. "You need to understand that."

"Why couldn't you give me a second chance?"

"You were the one who failed to seize the initiative before I fell for someone else!"

"Who told you not to have any patience?"

"Says the one who started the whole thing in the first place by not controlling her emotions. Ali, at the end of the day this is your-"

"You know it yourself; my job was emotionally straining! And now thanks to you, my life is in shambles! I'm a street vagrant with two little ones while you and your Mafia pal live the life of millionaires!"

"Uhm guys, could you hold up a bit?" James interrupts as he looks at the screen of his Aster Vertu smartphone. "Ali, would you mind if I take the little ones for a walk?"

"Not really; they don't have to hear our argument anyways."

James squats down and allows Max and Danielle to climb onto his shoulders before walking out of the door. Well that was easy, he thought. Now with Ali distracted by Littlefoot, Don Burnett takes the stairs down. When asked why he decided not to use the elevator, he simply answered that he felt like walking. Once they reached the bottom of the floor, he walks towards the double doors at a casual yet fast pace. There was simply no time to lose; Max and Danielle had to be gone before Ali finished her argument.

Tommy Brasi and his Soldatos were already waiting outside by the time James came through the double door entrance and they quickly grabbed Max and Danielle from their boss' shoulders and threw them into the rear passenger seat of a black Mercedes W126 AMG with blackened windows. Two Soldatos joined them inside while the third hopped into the right side passenger seat in the front. Tommy himself hopped into a BMW M6 Gran Coupe, which was a gift from Don Burnett after he became a Caporegime, and followed the Mercedes out of the parking lot.

Once James saw the two cars disappear round a corner, he knew his job was done. Now all he had to do was head back up the office to do one last thing.

"You are such a piece of shit, Littlefoot!" Ali scowls. "All those months I loved you for nothing! NOTHING!"

"Ali, you have no one to blame but yourself!"

"If you think I'm done with you-"

 _THUMP_

Like a sack of potatoes, Ali fell onto her side with a rather impressive "thunk". Her ex gave a rather surprised glare to his human friend, who was responsible for knocking her out by whacking her with the grip of his pistol.

"I've taken care of the younglings." James said.

"YOU WHAT?" Littlefoot's eyes widened in shock. "JAMES! HOW COULD YOU?"

"You really do have a wild mind." He rolls his eyes. "I put Max and Danielle in Mafia custody. Don't worry, no harm will come to them."

"For a second I thought you went full Charles Burnett there."

"I'm not that evil." James glares at Ali's unconscious form. "I'd say we take her some place quiet and ditch her."

"You do it. I ain't gonna involve myself directly with you."

"Fine."

With the assistance of a few on-site security team members who were more than happy to help out, James moves Ali into a back alley a few blocks down the road and left her there. More than a few pedestrians saw the scene but no one bothered to report, especially when they saw the Capo Di Tutti Capi amongst the group of men.

* * *

The convoy finally arrived at the gates of the massive compound owned by the Elysian Mafia. James caught up with his Caporegime just as the Mercedes went through the gate and he drove in with the convoy. Soldatos sprang into action, taking Max and Danielle into the main house where more gunmen awaited. Security immediately shut the gates as soon as James' E24 made it in and those who stood guard returned to their posts. Additional manpower was pulled from the QRF and they joined in the roving guards in their patrols.

Security was an absolute must since James knew the two little ones knew crucial information which could bring the whole organization to its knees. George Francesco was personally brought to the compound to let the younglings know what sort of situation they were in. Naturally, they snarled in a hostile manner when they saw the man who killed their parents. Both quickly quieted down when James walked into the living room, wearing his dark grey Fedora Hat and Mafia boss outfit.

"Greetings, Max and Danielle." He said. "I am the man whom your father calls Don Burnett and you will address me as such. Do not panic, no harm will come to you, not when I'm on watch."

Both younglings began felt a growing sense of worry, though they tried their best not to show it.

"When can we go home?" Max mumbles.

"Home? Back on the streets?" James chuckles. "This IS home. You have a palace to yourself, so long as you do not leave the compound without my permission."

"What about mom?" Danielle asks.

"Ali is, I'm afraid, not mentally or physically capable of supporting you. She is jobless and her mental state is quite frankly, in shambles. One minute she may be talking nicely to you and the next minute you're on the ground being beaten senseless."

"So you're our dad?"

"No, Danielle. I am merely raising you till you're old enough to look after yourselves. Once you are, then I'll tell you what to do."

"Just listen to Igor Carlo's instructions." James points at a man wearing a white linen suit. "Call him "Papa Carlo", if you wish."

"Don Burnett, please." He shakes his head.

"I guess that settles it."

James and George shook hands with Igor Carlo and depart the compound in their own separate cars. Now with Daniel's sons in his hand, the Capo Di Tutti Capi felt confident that his organization would not be compromised. And with that out of the way, he could help Littlefoot deal with Ali and prevent her from seriously damaging his company.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Before her separation with Littlefoot, Ali never really truly understood the extent of how cruel living in Elysium could be. She had been adopted by a powerful and wealthy businessman after her mother died and when he passed on, she dated someone who had close relations with a Mafia boss. But now with her ex-boyfriend and family members gone, Ali experienced what it was like to become a powerless street vagrant. She was helpless to change her fate and could only rely on the kindness of her fellow citizens both dinosaurs and humans alike to help her survive through each day.

On good days she would gain over five hundred dollars in cash but on bad days she might not even get a single penny. No longer was she able to afford tailor made suits or designer shirts. The discount store was the only place she was getting new clothes; that and the thrift stores. Fortunately for her, getting food was surprisingly easy. Since McDonalds chains could be found all over the place, she had a readily available source of food as the items sold there were cheap and affordable.

People from all walks of life ate there and sometimes Ali could even see her fellow beggars having a meal or two in one of the many McDonalds restaurants in the nation. Heck, even James popped into McDonalds every now and then to have a cup of coffee with his associates. Ironically enough, her ex-boyfriend, the one whose family had been sued by McDonalds in an attempt to milk cash from an impoverished family, had just bought the corporation from its previous owner and made it one of his subsidiaries.

Talk about karma!

Ah, whatever. It's not like he would be helping me anytime soon, Ali thought. She sighed every time she thought about her ex. No matter what Littlefoot said, she just could not grasp why he would not give her a second chance. Her emotions had been and still were clouding her judgement and thought. On a positive note, nothing too serious had popped up because of her impeded judgement. After all, how much of a threat could a vagrant pose after her only leverage had been kidnapped right under her snout?

"Welcome." The thrift store owner greeted as Ali entered the store. "May I help you?"

"I'm just looking for a shirt or two to keep me warm." She answers. "Autumn is coming and that means winter won't be too far away."

"Dinosaur related clothing is right behind the second hand cameras section."

"Thanks."

Looks like the thrift store owners might be the only friends I have, Ali thought. She was right in a sense. Her high school pals have seemingly abandoned her. They still remembered Charmaine! Why couldn't they remember their other friend? As Ali browsed through the rather large selection of clothing, a well-dressed man entered the thrift store. Seconds later, she heard a surprised gasp from the owner.

"Don Burnett!" The owner exclaimed. "I never expected you here!"

"My told me thrift stores sometimes have things you just can't buy elsewhere." He answers with a smile. "Do you happen to have one of those really realistic replica guns?"

"Like the ones they use in Bavaria Film?"

"Not the flashpaper guns though, just the really realistic ones that are meant to be held for photo shoots and cannot fire."

"We have one donated from a collector if you're interested."

"Put it on the table and I'll see what's what."

Ali watched as the store owner walked into the backroom, presumably to retrieve what the Capo Di Tutti Capi requested. Now it was just James and her in the same area and she figures it would be a good opportunity to ask what happened to her two children.

"James." She said. "What happened to Max and Danielle?"

"They're in my custody." He smoothly answers. "Why?"

"Well I'd like to have them back with me."

"Unfortunately you can't, not when your mental state is in shambles."

"They are MY adoptive children and it's MY right to-"

"I can always bring the case to court… Oh wait, you didn't officially adopt them."

Footsteps could be heard approaching the backroom door and Ali backs away in response, not wanting the owner to know she was an acquaintance of James. About a second or two later, the owner appeared from the backroom holding a pelican case with the word "Umarex" stamped on it. She opens it, revealing a very realistic replica of an Italian made Beretta Model 92 pistol.

"Quite impressive I must say." James remarks. "But I thought I said movie replica?"

"Yeah." She answers. "This is the same gun they used for the poster of Wiseguy."

"Really? Who donated it to you?"

"A collector who received the gun from the armorer."

"Interessante."

"Surprisingly the price on this is very cheap, not that you'll fall for my marketing ploy Don Burnett."

"Well I just might." He chuckles. "My son is the one who wants this gun."

"It's exactly a hundred and fifty."

"I shall take it off your hands then."

The owner felt like she was handling an item given to her from god when she took the money from James. She also did not pass up the opportunity to shake his hand, an opportunity he personally granted. This was a story the owner was very eager to tell her friends once she got back from work and it would be a story she could tell without trouble because she was not a witness to the Capo Di Tutti Capi's criminal side but rather his more human side.

"My son is the one who wants this gun" Those words would be spread around like wildfire once she told her friends. Previously Don Burnett never mentioned having a son or being married to his girlfriend Charmaine. From the dinosaur clothing section, Ali let out a sigh of irritation. Her adoptive children were now in the hands of Elysium's most powerful crime boss and if she had to get them back, she would have to fight fire with fire.

* * *

The sound of a mighty V8 engine's roar could be heard as James' BMW E24 rolled into his residence. Chatter could be heard from the living room as he had invited Littlefoot and a few friends of his over for dinner. Charmaine's high school friends were present as well since she also invited them over to balance out the "number of boys". Before the dinner started, she took her friends for a tour of the place and they were all amazed by how lavish it was despite it not being as big as the late Charles Burnett's residence in Roquebrune Cap Martin.

All of them envied their friend's luck at finding such a good husband. He was such a nice guy to her; pampering her with all sorts of gifts and allowing her to buy whatever car she wanted for daily use. She also had unlimited access to his car and gun collection, and neither were small collections. Juliet, who was a car enthusiast herself, was startled when she saw three Ferrari Testarossa variants in the garage along with two Lamborghini Countaches lined up side by side.

Dinner for tonight was prepared by James' personal chef and there would be many delicious dishes tonight. The Capo Di Tutti Capi had specifically ordered his chef to prepare "dishes fit for kings". By the time James left his car, the first of the dishes had been served, though everyone decided to wait as they heard his car come through the gates just moments ago.

"Hey look, the star has arrived!" Donnie Tran sneers as he saw James walk through the main entrance. "What took you so long?"

"I had to buy something for Armando, didn't I?" He smiles before taking the pelican case from the paper bag and handing it over to his son. "There, you happy?"

"Thanks dad!" The young boy smiles with glee before running back into his room.

"You're such a good father." Priscilla remarks.

"Oh?" James takes off his Fedora hat and business suit, revealing the shoulder holster rig underneath. "I just want Armando to be happy."

Just like his teenage self, James loved to tease the ladies and he shot Priscilla a playful wink before walking over to the kitchen to grab himself a bottle of Gran Riserva, causing Juliet to giggle. Charmaine on the other hand simply rolled her eyes in annoyance. When will her husband stop fooling around with the other ladies? Just then, everyone at the table noticed him whisper something to Littlefoot. Moments later, the Apatosaurus was up and he followed the Mafia boss out of the main house.

Yet again he was off with his secretive business, something Charmaine's friends found very fascinating and, oddly enough, attractive. James pops open his bottle of beer with a Swiss Army Knife he packed in his left waistcoat pocket and takes a sip as he briefly admired the view from his residence.

"Beautiful ain't it?" He remarks.

"Yeah." Littlefoot answers. "Better than the most beautiful view from my house."

"Heh…"

"So, why did you ask me out here again?"

"It's about your ex."

"Again?"

"She knows what's up with her children and I think this time she's going to act on it."

"But how? She has no powerful friends, not since I left here anyways."

"You know Don Giovanni, right? How he helps just about everyone and all."

"Oh come on, you can't possibly think she's gonna pit him against you."

"It's a possibility, Littlefoot. Especially since Roberto seems real interested in knowing what I'm hiding from him and just about everyone else."

"What's all that fuss you're trying to hide anyways?"

"Things I'm not proud of, Littlefoot." He takes another gulp of beer. "Things which could bring the whole damn organization down."

"You're just overreacting, James."

"I'll just leave it at this; if you think I'm better than my father, you'd better think again. Yes I'm not as "assholish" as he is, but don't think of me as a saint."

Those words surprised Littlefoot greatly and he couldn't help but wonder for a bit as his friend began walking back towards the main house. Sure, James killed quite a few people during his tenure as Don but it was all done either for the sake of helping his friends or his nation. Those he killed deserved to die for what they've done. How James felt regret in killing them baffled Littlefoot. At least, those were who he thought his friend regretted killing.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Armed with all the remaining money she could withdraw from her bank account and those she picked up from begging, Ali began her long journey down to Sicily. She took the D-Bus as far as she could and only stopped at cheap guesthouses to rest during the night. Every single moment she spent in Italy, she couldn't help but reminisce the happy times she spent with Littlefoot. All those days they've spent in Italy, culminating in their visit to Venice where they rode the gondolas built specifically for dinosaurs.

Those were all moments she wished to relive. Oh how stupid it was for her to unleash her rage on her boyfriend and push him away. If she had controlled her emotions, things might not have become what they were now. Three days of travelling later, Ali finally arrived in Villa San Giovanni, a town which by coincidence bore the same last name as the man she was about to meet. Her ferry was scheduled for 1933 hours and upon boarding, she climbed up onto the passenger area.

Standing near the railing, she remembered the time Littlefoot was by her side. Together they admired the sunset, feeling an air of romance blowing around them. At that point both had feelings for each other but they were afraid of admitting it for fear of being rejected by the other. Somehow the scene also reminded Ali of her adoptive sister's experiences. She remembered hearing her talking about how she grabbed her husband's arms during the sunset which contributed to her winning his heart later on.

Funnily enough, there just so happens to be an Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider sitting in the vehicle hold and this particular Alfa Romeo was also red. It wasn't James' but it did remind Ali of the fact that her adoptive sister mentioned her husband's Spider being "as red as an Italian Red Head could be". By the time the ferry reached Messina, the sun had gone down and Ali hurriedly took the D-Bus into Palermo, the capitol of Sicily where according to the locals, Don Giovanni was headquartered in.

Since she had no idea where the Don actually was, Ali decides to enlist the help of the local taxi drivers. Naturally they were all caught off guard when she asked if they knew where Don Giovanni's compound was, given the fact that her clothing she wore made her seem more like a hobo(which ironically she was)than someone who was affiliated with a powerful Mafia boss. Most refused her request out of respect for Robert Giovanni but one agreed to take her there on the condition that he would drop her off a few blocks away.

He also charged extra due to the increased amount of risk he perceived. Ali didn't mind paying the extra; she just wanted to get to Giovanni. The guards at his compound were a little surprised when she asked to see their boss but they allowed her in under escort from a couple of members of Roberto's security team. The man himself sat in his father's office and a portrait of the late Marcus Giovanni, who passed away in a heart attack, could be seen hung just above the fake fireplace.

"Pretty casual wear for the adoptive daughter of the late Richard Nightingale." He remarks. "So, what brings you here?"

"I need you help with my ex." She answers. "In exchange, I will give you the whereabouts of the children of Daniel."

"You know Daniel?"

"I adopted his little ones Max and Danielle."

"Why don't you just send them to me once I've finished the job?"

"Because they are currently in James' hands."

"How can Don Burnett have them… Oh wait, he kidnapped them to keep the lid shut."

"Exactly."

"Okay, what is it that you want done?"

"I want you to cripple his business."

"You're going to have to give me details."

"It's called Great Valley Airlines and the headquarters is located here." Ali places a piece of paper on the Don's table.

"Ah, the old Federal Bank building." An off topic question drifted into Don Giovanni's mind. "So, where do you live now? Still the old house?"

"No, Littlefoot and Cera bought it. I'm homeless."

Though Ali dreaded that question, she answered anyways and she answered truthfully. If you need someone like Don Giovanni to help you, you'd best not be lying to them unless you want to sleep with the fishes yourself. Initially Don Giovanni was a little hesitant to betray his longtime ally to help the homeless adoptive daughter of a dead businessman, he realized the reward was simply too great for him to pass up. If he could get his hands on Max and Danielle, he could very easily bring down the current Capo Di Tutti Capi and return the Mafia to its Italian origins.

While James Burnett was Italian and his family had been living in Italy since several generations back, the name "Burnett" itself was not Italian but either of Saxon, Norman or French origin. Besides, James himself also admitted to the fact that he knew his origins when he said "I shall take his position and let Italy be ruled by a true Italian." While making a deal with the late Don Marcus Giovanni.

* * *

Due to security concerns, Cera and Littlefoot were temporarily moved from her residence in Menton to a Villa in Roquebrune Cap Martin, one of James' many properties. Security at this particular villa was also beefed up, with the regular guards being replaced with professional mercenaries who were highly paid. Security at their residence in Menton remained the same to give the impression that no one was aware of the fact that there might be a potential hit.

Security at the compound where Max and Danielle were kept was also beefed up, only this time the mercenaries were brought in to supplement the Soldatos who would remain on duty. The number of QRF teams was increased from one to four and a couple of armored GMC Yukons with M134 Gatling Guns were brought in to increase the amount of firepower the defenders could bring to bear in the event of a raid or attack. James also enlisted the help of his wife Charmaine, who recently sold off Nightingale Shipping and founded Nightingale Private Security Corporation with Julius and Melania, two of her high school friends.

Due to James' requirement for military precision in this fight, he needed all the expertise he could pull in and the three were perfect if he needed close surveillance. Their new line of small but efficient unmanned drones would be used to give those manning the nerve center at one of James' suites located on the third floor of the Casino Royale, which was now owned by none other than Sonny Crockett. He of course had no idea what was going on and didn't bother to check on Don Burnett even after seeing all the specialized equipment being moved in.

"Nerve center is up and running." Charmaine reported to her husband. "Surveillance is online, security has been beefed up. What's next?"

"I'll have to chat with Don Giovanni to reach a compromise." He answers. "Marcus wouldn't be too happy if I just went up to his son and blasted him with a Lupara."

"I wouldn't be too." She chuckles. "Heck, I'd probably be pissed to the point where I'd gun you down myself!"

"Don Burnett!" One of the Soldatos interrupted. "Roberto Giovanni is here to see you."

Charmaine didn't need her husband to ask for her to excuse herself, she just did it on her own. This was a very crucial meeting, one which would definitely decide whether or not war would go down between the once great friends. Tensions were high between their organizations all thanks to Ali and both Mafia Bosses agreed that they should find a more peaceful end to their conflict. Charles might've destroyed the Commission during his power grab but these two Dons were more than willing to discuss the situation and resolve their differences without resorting to Luparas and Tommy guns.

"Benvenuto." James greeted. "Italian or English?"

"English since your name is of Saxon origin." Roberto answers.

A subtle jab, but not one James felt, though he knew what his counterpart was trying to achieve. He had already accepted the fact that he wasn't a true blood Italian.

"Let's get straight to business." He said. "So, tell me what you must."

"I am offering you a peaceful end to this little dispute of ours." Giovanni began. "You see, my organization knows you have some important assets in your possession. Hand over Daniel's two little ones and all will be settled."

"Sounds more like an unconditional surrender of my powers. If I do so, my organization will become nothing more than a powerless puppet."

"That's my offer, Don Burnett."

"I give you a counter offer; that you and I work together to take down Ali, then I shall hand you something interesting to begin MAD. You hold something, I hold something; mutually assured destruction."

"A good offer, but one I must refuse. I, Don Giovanni, will fulfill my promises to those who ask for help."

"Well then…" James sighs. "Seeing that I am not accepting your offer and you're not accepting mine, I have no choice but to let you go empty handed."

"Ciao, my friend."

Roberto Giovanni gets up from his seat and turns towards the exit without bothering to shake his associate's hand. It was the start of yet another Mafia war, yet James couldn't help but feel slightly playful in this situation.

"Don Giovanni!" He said, causing his rival to stop in his tracks.

 _BANG_

The shot causes him to jolt in surprise but oddly, he could feel no pain or any feeling one would feel after being shot. Still curious about what had just happened, he turns around and finds James pointing a Smith & Wesson Model 36 revolver at him. It looked like a real gun and there was a faint trail of smoke coming from the barrel. There was also the smell of gunpowder in the air yet he could not find a bullet entry hole even after checking his body once more.

"Friendo, I ain't as dishonorable as my father." He laughs. "This is a blank gun."

Annoyed at the fact that his rival could find amusement in a time like this, Don Giovanni rolls his eyes and leaves without saying anything, shaking his head in disbelief. Oh, if only their friendship could last longer, maybe he could come back with a blank gun of his own and fire back in revenge.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Gunshots rang just outside the Great Valley Airlines headquarters as Soldatos under the command of Don Giovanni battled it out with the security team provided by James Burnett. The opening shot, fired from a motel room across the street, had penetrated the window of Littlefoot's office and missed him by a couple of inches. Less than five minutes out, the QRF on standby was being scrambled and the first of the AH-1 Little Birds were lifting off from their respective helipads.

Thanks to the nerve center set up by Charmaine and her team of security experts, James knew what was going on and personally scrambled an extra team of mercenaries to deal with the threat. In addition a van carrying six Soldatos were also being scrambled from Roquebrune Cap Martin. High in the sky, an unmanned surveillance drone provides a live infrared feed of the situation back to the computer screen in James' office and the Don was watching the scene unfold anxiously.

If something serious happened to Great Valley Airlines, Littlefoot could face a serious drop in profits or worse, bankruptcy and a return to financial hardship. Charmaine knew her husband had no appetite for breakfast so she made him a cup of his favorite coffee from the Black Rifle Coffee Company.

"Grazie." James stirs the coffee before taking a sip, all while staring at the monitor. "My dear, you don't know how lucky I feel to have married you."

"You're welcome." She smiles. "Just curious, you aren't going to kill Don Giovanni are you?"

"No, I'll just neutralize his organization to the point where he can no longer strike us or our associates."

"Good to know you're keeping your promise with Marcus."

"Heh, I'm more benevolent than my father. But trust me, I'm not a softie." He presses the intercom button. "Send a few Firescouts loaded with Hellfire Missiles, it's about damn time I showed Don Giovanni how not to mess with the Burnett Family."

At an undisclosed black site operated by the Mafia, a huge flight of unmanned Firescout Helicopter drones take off from their helipads. In total, there were six of these highly advanced unmanned choppers and each had eight Hellfire Missiles on their pylons. Previously no criminal organization had employed such hi-tech weaponry, mostly because they lacked enough funds to purchase such gizmos. Charles did have the funds but he was more of an old school guy.

His son however had a different mindset. James had worked with the R&D department of Delta Arms during his short tenure as head of the company and realized the importance of going one further than your opponent. That's why he sacrificed a small portion of the family's massive vault of gold to purchase unmanned drone helicopters and teams of mercenaries. He also understood the importance of military precision when putting his armed wing into action either defensively or offensively, which is why he implemented a nerve center when Don Giovanni declared war.

As Giovanni and his Soldatos fought against their better equipped and better trained mercenary opponents, they suddenly catch a glimpse of yet another wave of aircraft approaching. Only this time these didn't seem like they were ferrying more mercenaries in. Without warning, a missile flew off the one of the choppers' racks and and detonated the car just a few steps ahead of the black van Don Giovanni and his goons were hiding behind, killing three Soldatos.

Realizing they now had the support of UCAVs, the mercenaries began advancing on the remnants of Don Giovanni's force, firing their guns as they walked towards him. A pair of Soldatos emerged from behind the van and opened up with their Beretta M12 submachine guns but they were unable to hit anyone before being mowed down by accurate semi-automatic carbine fire mixed in with occasional bursts from the Stoner light machine guns.

Things quickly took a turn for the worst when the van ferrying six of James' Soldatos arrived on the scene along with an armored GMC Yukon. Though the Capo Di Tutti Capo had not scrambled the Yukon, the Soldatos felt they needed extra firepower and had their request granted by Luca Clemenza, who was in charge of all Mafia Muscle in the Roquebrune Cap Martin area. Giovanni thought little of the SUV until it deployed its deadly M134 Gatling gun which spewed lead at a rate of sixty rounds per second.

In an instant, the head of the Italian Mafia had been caught in a deadly crossfire. Somehow he managed to avoid all the lead in the air and scramble into the motel he had been staying in. Knowing more gunmen would be waiting inside, the Soldatos pulled back and allowed the mercenaries to begin moving in. But just when they were about to take the stairs, they received an unusual order from their boss.

"Stand down, I'll take over." He said. "We can't risk taking casualties, not in something this trivial."

Unbeknownst to anyone, James had direct communications with one of the Firescouts' pilots, having connected to the communications uplink with the help of George Francesco who coincidentally also studied IT while in college. Switching over to thermal imaging, James spots his rival just as he reached his room. His surviving men helped him in and shut the door behind them. Contrary to what he said, James' mercenaries would suffer little to no casualties if they breached due to their superior training and equipment.

And to be frank, he only pulled them back because he had an ulterior motive. James gives the order to lock onto the motel room with the onboard laser designator of the Firescout UCAV.

"Take the shot." He said.

"Sir, you might risk killing Don Giovanni." The pilot responded. "You sure?"

"Just take the bloody shot you baldracca!"

"Yes sir."

 _TSSSSSSSSH_

 _WHAAAAAAAAAAAM_

Shrapnel flew in all directions the minute the missile exploded inside the motel room, accompanied by a large cloud of dust which filled the room. For a moment, there was no movement inside the motel room.

"Gentlemen." James' voice came through the mercenaries' radio. "Move in once the smoke clears. If you find Giovanni, rush him to the hospital."

All of a sudden, the Capo Di Tutti Capi felt a large load of emotion bricks strike him and he covers his face with his palms. Images of the day he made a deal with Marcus Giovanni to let a true blood Italian run Italy flashed back in his mind. James slumped back in his seat, thinking about the time he shot his father because he was a monster. Truth is, he was no better than his father. At the end of the day, he was just like his father Charles. He was a godfather; the boss of all bosses; the one who deserved respect.

Today he grew more matured and understood the cruel nature of friendship in the criminal underworld. A man could be your best pal in one moment and your worst foe in the other. And when a friend becomes foe, drastic actions are required. There might be an emotional weight but these weights are negligible when you talking about the future of your own organization.

* * *

The battle in Menton made headline news all over Elysium. Images captured by news crews after the gunfight was over reminded everyone of the photos taken by war photographers during the conflict between Elysium and the Kingdom of North Cretaceous. In fact the pictures didn't look like they were taken from the streets of Menton at all given the amount of bullet riddled walls, shattered glass, and destroyed vehicles.

Under James' orders, Don Giovanni was evacuated to the best hospital in the area and doctors were fighting furiously round the clock to stabilize him and drag him from the grim reaper's grip. While this was all going on, Don Burnett sat in his office, wondering if he should've done what he did. The amount of stress and burden he felt made him contemplate smoking one of the cigars he had for display but fortunately for him, his wife prevented him from doing so, albeit indirectly.

"Why did you do it?" She asks. "Don't say you didn't, the pilot spoke to me."

"To lower the risk my men would face." He answers. "They would most certainly have been shot if they went up."

"They had body armor, James. Do you think I'm that stupid? You wanted to finish what your father had done!"

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did, liar!"

Disappointed with her husband's actions, Charmaine storms out from his office. James tried to run after her but one of his security team members interrupted him. Turns out the president himself was getting a little concerned about his citizens, given the amount of violence which played out today. He wanted an end to all this before things started to get out of hand.

"I know what you're going to say, Signore Beauregard." James spoke. "Truth is, I wish not an incident like this to happen again."

"I'm glad you do." He responds. "But why? Why a god damned hellfire missile?"

"I didn't want to risk my men. I didn't know that thing was this powerful."

"We didn't develop them to counter tanks for no reason, y'know?"

"Like I said, it won't happen again."

"You'd better make sure to keep your word, because I can send the entire national guard to crash down on your organization."

"Mr. President, you have my word."

"Good."

The President of Elysium shook hands with the most powerful Mafia boss of the nation and left with his entourage of bodyguards just as Littlefoot reached the compound. He bumped into the president who on the way out and they exchanged nods. Unlike Beauregard, the Apatosaurus was here to thank his friend for coming to his aid when things went to hell, though he too disapproved of the hellfire trick. In fact, almost everyone disapproved with that particular order.

James was on the phone with the motel owner discussing how he would transfer the compensation money into his account when Littlefoot entered the office.

"Once again I'm really sorry." He gently places the phone down. "So, what brings you here?"

"I just stopped by to thank you." Littlefoot answers. "Still, I have to say that Hellfire missile-"

"Yes yes, I know. It's too much and I agree with you."

"Question now is, are you going to pay the motel owner?"

"I was discussing how I was going to transfer compensation money; that and a couple hundred thousand extra to compensate for the momentary drop in profits."

"That's good to know."

"So, anything else?"

"Yeah, what on Earth are we going to do about my ex?"

"With Giovanni gone? I'm pretty darn sure she's harmless enough that you can deal with her yourself."

"Harmless? Hardly. She's probably going to lead a revenge strike on the compound to pull you down with your old rival."

James' eyes immediately widened in shock when he heard his friend's words. So focused was he on his rival that he had completely forgotten about Max and Danielle. Of course Ali would attempt to get them out of the compound, they were her adoptive children for Pete's sake! And unlike last time, she could actually pull off such an endeavor since the Giovanni family would certainly not pass up an opportunity to return James' "gesture of kindness".


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Ever since James made Luca Clemenza and Tommy Brasi his Caporegimes, he never directly involved himself in the Mafia's more "shooty" matters like bumping off a few unfortunate folks or confronting rival organizations. That being said, the threat of Max and Danielle being freed by Ali nagged James so much that he felt he should be personally there to assist his Soldatos. Igor Carlo, the man tasked with running the compound and raising the little ones, might have a security team and QR Forces on standby but they might not be able to fend off what would almost certainly be an all-out assault by Soldatos loyal to Don Giovanni.

The mighty V8 of James' BMW E24 roared like a beast ready to be unleashed as it raced towards Roquebrune Cap Martin. Right behind the Beemer were three armored vans carrying his own Soldatos and a couple of Mercedes G-Wagen 6x6s which were fitted with a .50 caliber M2 heavy machine gun and MK19 grenade launcher respectively. These would not be used unless the fighting got too tough for James and his men to handle with small arms alone.

From Monte Carlo, Tommy Brasi geared up for the final showdown, equipping himself with a M16A1 which had an underslung M203 grenade launcher fitted. Topped off with a 100-round drum magazine, he had plenty of firepower. The gunmen he led carried the usual; Tommy guns, Grease guns, and shotguns. Luca Clemenza on the other hand remained in Menton to run security at Littlefoot's compound, feeling he should remain behind with his men to ensure no one decides to come inside and bother the Apatosaurus and his wife, both having just returned from their little "exile".

Roughly three miles away from the compound, James' Aster Vertu rang and when he picked up, only bad news came through. Owing to their failure during the first encounter with James' goons which led to the hospitalization of Don Giovanni, those still loyal to him now assaulted by speedboat and each of these boats had either a M1919 machine gun or 81mm mortar to support those who were going ashore to conduct the raid itself.

"Igor, you are clear to pull the heavy ordnance out." James said. "If you want, I can call the mercenary pilots to load their choppers with rockets and guns instead of men."

"Nah, I have a more… Legal solution of you will." He chuckles. "You won't believe what I have in mind."

"Go ahead, amaze me."

Igor ends the call and phones up his old buddy Phillip Thomas, the current commandant of the Elysian coast guard. Since he knew the President wouldn't be too pleased if more explosions happened as a direct result of his boss' actions, Igor decides to turn the "high seas" portion of the attack into a matter of national security. All of the boats involved in the attack were unregistered, allowing the coast guard to classify them as hostile intruding vessels intending to cause damage to Elysian property.

Once Phillip receives a text message from his pal which was accompanied by satellite images, he immediately put all available forces on red alert and sent them to meet the threat. Among the vessels sent to intercept the gunboats was the new FCG Wessel, one of the first Centennial-class cutters and the most advanced ship in the coast guard's arsenal. James had no idea of this of course and merely kept on driving, praying that the defenders would not fall before he arrived.

In the sky, the first of the mercenary teams roared past in their choppers which quickly came under sustained but ineffective submachine gun fire from rival Soldatos below. The mercenaries quickly secure the helipads and went about clearing the compound of enemy gunmen while their comrades touched down and disembarked one team at a time. Five hundred meters from the compound entrance, James and his Soldatos were forced to stop and fight their way up as enemy forces have blocked the road.

"That's it! Move the fifty up!" James shouts as he spots one of the G-Wagens moving ahead. "MK19 gunner hold fire! I repeat hold-"

 _THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD_

 _THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD_

Fortunately for him, the gunner manning the MK19 grenade launcher heard his command the first time and kept his thumbs off the trigger. The .50 caliber machine gunner on the other hand… Well let's just say he unleashed a world of pain on the enemy gunmen, mowing them and their comrades down. Those who dove behind their vehicles for cover were also struck; the armor piercing bullets easily penetrating the steel of their cars and vans which were unarmored.

The amount of gunfire quickly attracted the attention of residents some three hundred meters away. Many opened the windows of their lavish residences to find themselves staring at a literal battle unfolding right in front of them. These few Elysians could consider themselves lucky because they had a front row seat to what was possibly the greatest action movie scene, only the guns and bullets used were live and men were really dying.

Out on the high seas, the gunboats found themselves overwhelmed by the firepower of the Elysian coastguard. Many tried to fight back but their light weaponry were no match for the heavy automatic cannons which came standard on all coastguard ships. Some tried to flee but their occupants were soon intercepted and either killed or captured by members of the coast guard who manned the faster and more nimble RHIBs.

Inside the main house, Max and Danielle ran inside one of the bedrooms and hid themselves underneath the bed. For some reason, Igor did not come into the room with them as they initially thought. Earlier he had been right on their tail but now he was nowhere to be seen. Where was the man who was supposed to be taking care of them? Gunfire could be heard coming from the window accompanied by the sound of the main gate opening.

Seconds later, nine extremely loud bangs could be heard coming from the bottom floor. People were definitely coming their way. Question is, were they friend or foe? Max and Danielle huddled next to each other and closed their eyes. Slowly, the door to their room began to creak open and footsteps could be heard.

 _BANG BANG_

 _BANG_

"Max? Danielle?" A familiar voice shouted.

The two younglings crawled out from underneath the bed and were almost immediately embraced by James. Mercenaries moved about behind him, sweeping the other rooms to make sure no hostile gunmen were hiding inside. All was clear and Daniel's children were soon placed back on the ground. Danielle was the first to bolt towards the stairs with James accompanying her. Max wanted to follow his sister but George Francesco stopped him and took him back into the bedroom.

"I'm sorry Igor." James hugs the man he tasked with taking care the compound, a tear streaming down from his left eye when he did.

"I fully understand, Don Burnett." He places his hands on his boss' shoulder and nods. "Just know I will miss them both dearly."

"They don't call you papa for no reason, pal."

"Heh."

"Come on, let's get some beer to drink it off. My men will take care of the rest."

"No, we go to Monte Carlo if we are to have alcohol."

"If you insist."

First to leave the house was Igor, followed by his boss James who hopped into the driver's seat of his E24 after passing along the final order to his subordinates. They then drove out of the compound and begin the drive back into Monte Carlo. Back inside the main house, George Francesco walks down the stairs, putting his trusty Elysian French Legion pattern garrote back inside a specially tailored pocket underneath his suit as he reached the final step.

He walks over to Danielle and orders her to follow him to the pool area. Though confused, she complied anyways, having no idea what was to come. A pair of Soldatos grabbed her almost immediately when she reached the pool and they placed her inside a large custom dog crate designed to house a Tibetan Mastiff. In addition to being ruthless and efficient, George was also a rather sadistic man and he wanted to give the little Indomimus Rex a surprise before sending her to sleep with the fishes.

"Just put it right in front of the crate." He smiles. "Danielle, be ready to meet your brother again."

Her eyes widened immediately when she saw the lifeless corpse of Max sprawled in front of her. He had been garroted by the same man who killed her parents. Danielle snarled in anger, shooting George a hostile look and biting down on the steel gate of the dog crate she was imprisoned in. But the man was unfazed and merely gave her a cold grin. George Francesco, the Mafia's most sadistic and ruthless assassin to date, picks up the crate and slowly lowers it into the pool.

No matter how hard Danielle struggled to open the door, she was stuck in her watery coffin; trapped with no hope of escaping. Eventually, she was completely submerged and George lets go of the handle, allowing the crate to sink down to the bottom. Despite this, the Indomimus Rex refused to give up and she looked around for a way to escape the dog crate, moving back and forth between the opposite ends of the crate. But it was a futile attempt to achieve something which was simply impossible to do.

Pretty soon, the craving for air got to her and she rammed her head against the roof of the crate. Her instincts were now in total control of her body and it now placed her in what could only be described as a futile push for the surface, literally.

"It's been a minute yet thermal shows her still alive and kicking." George hands the scope back to the Soldato who was given it. "James should purchase this for all to use."

Water gushed in through her nostrils, flowing down her windpipe and flooding her lungs. No longer was Danielle able to hold back the urge to breathe. Short of actually being dumped into a coral reef full of fishes, she was now truly sleeping with the fishes just like the quote stated.


	9. One Man's Dream

**One Man's Dream...**

Slowly, Don Giovanni opened his eyes and drew a deep breath of air; it smelled exactly like typical hospital air. Oddly, he could feel none of the pain he felt before and the wounds seemed to have healed. Scars were still visible where they were, though the Don was quite surprised that he made such a recovery. The two goons who were tasked with protecting him were slumped in their chairs, snoring as loudly as overworked pigs. Good thing no one decided to come in and shoot me, he thought.

A gun could be seen lying on the patients table to the right of Don Giovanni, which he grabbed and stuffed inside his waistband without hesitation. Still a little confused yet not wanting to wake his two guards up, he got off his bed and left the private ward assigned to him. Despite a funny feeling within him, Roberto Giovanni could see nothing wrong with everything both inside and outside the ward. Patients were being helped along by nurses and the reception even asked if he needed anything.

He declined her kind inquiry.

Suddenly, a familiar face came through the corridor. This man Giovanni had seen before, and this man he hated very much. He was James Burnett, the man who sent a Hellfire missile right into the motel room he was hiding in. For some reason he was here alone, wearing his trademark Fedora hat and outfit. James did not speak, even when he responded to Roberto staring at him by turning towards his rival. There was a devilish grin on his face, one which resembled more of Charles than James.

"You are no better than your father!" Don Giovanni scowled.

"Perhaps." He answers in a calm and solemn tone. "But maybe you should consider the fact that you were the one who declared war on me."

"You harbor many dark secrets, Don Burnett. It is time I returned the Mafia to its true origins."

"Indeed I harbor many secrets, but it is your thirst for power which drove you to declare war. Frankly, you resemble Charles more than I do."

"You have a similar face."

"But you have a similar heart and conscience."

"Why are you even here, Don Burnett?"

"I wanted to visit a dying former friend."

"Dying? I'm well and alive."

"Well not for long."

 _BANG_

Despite James' proficiency with quickdrawing his carry piece and superb accuracy, he somehow missed on this occasion. The nurses dove under their desks as Don Giovanni fired back. His goons hear the sound of gunfire and immediately rush out from the ward with their machine pistols at the ready. They fire a few bursts at James, forcing him to retreat back through the stairwell door. As much as Giovanni didn't want to cause too much a ruckus in the hospital, he felt he had to end his foe here and now before he gets onto something much more serious.

He runs through the door after his foe and made his way down the stairwell with his goons in tow. A few floors down, James raises his sidearm and puts a few shots upwards, managing to strike one of the gunmen escorting Don Giovanni. In response came a hail of machine pistol fire. Roughly three bullets struck him but they were all stopped by the bulletproof vest he had been wearing. James burst out from the door when he reached the ground floor and made a run for his BMW E24.

His foes were not far behind and they came out just as he zipped off in his car. Fortunately for Giovanni, his men had come in a Ferrari F355 and they handed the keys over to him so he could chase down his foe. Don Giovanni unhesitatingly hopped into the driver's seat and stomped on the throttle the minute he started the car and let go of the handbrakes, unleashing every last bit of horsepower from the mighty V8. It didn't take him very long to catch up to his rival as they left Menton and went along the Riviera.

When James saw the bright red Italian Prancing Horse in his rear view mirror, he knew for once, he was outclassed. His E24 might be a M6 but it still had inferior performance to the much newer and more powerful Ferrari F355. Sure, he probably had better experience driving up and down these scenic roads, having done so ever since his teenage years, but nothing short of an actual bullet through his foe's skull could stop him. Meanwhile in the Ferrari, Don Giovanni finds a MAC-10 machine pistol in the glove box and retrieves it.

Pulling the bolt back and switching the safety off, he lets loose with a few rounds, shooting through the windshield of his own car as he put round after round into the rear windscreen of James' E24. None of the rounds hit of course, but they certainly did serve their purpose in distracting Don Burnett. One misjudged corner and he rams right into a lamppost with enough force to set off the airbag. Giovanni comes to a halt a few feet behind his opponent and got out of his vehicle.

"Now it's my turn." He raises his machine pistol. "Come on out you asshole."

 _BANG BANG_

 _BANG BANG_

 _BANG_

"I'm out!" James shouts as he takes cover in front of the hood. "Just so you know, I am very sorry for firing that Hellfire missile."

"Well "sorry" ain't helping you this time, you Imbecile!" Giovanni squeezes off a burst from his machine pistol. "Because you were right about my thirst for power."

James rises from the front of the car and fires the remaining rounds from his magazine, successfully managing to strike the MAC-10 and disable it. His foe quickly switches back to his own sidearm and the exchange of fire began. Both men fired at one another till their guns were empty. Then they simply reloaded and repeated the process until they ran out of spare magazines. And when they did, James knew almost certainly that he had an advantage.

Unlike him, Don Giovanni was never known to carry a backup handgun and indeed he never did. Though gunfights which required more ammunition than they had for their primary carry guns were something neither have encountered before, James felt it would be better for him to have a backup when he didn't need one than not have one when he needed it. Now his thinking might just save his life. He gets up from the front of his E24 once more and slowly advanced towards the Ferrari.

"Don Giovanni?" He shouted. "I know you're out of ammunition! I have a backup gun and you don't."

Suddenly his foe pops up on his right. James reacts by swinging towards the threat. Unfortunately for him, his reaction was not fast enough this time.

 _BANG_

And neither was his body armor working as advertised. Despite being rated to stop something as powerful as a full power .44 Magnum, the EnGarde executive vest failed to stop this particular round fired by his foe. Sure the vest might have been compromised after stopping several bullets fired by one of Don Giovanni's goons but the bullets were caught in the back, not the front. How could the vest possibly fail at such a crucial moment?

"So they are useful." Roberto remarks after inspecting the ammunition loaded in the magazine. He too was impressed by the results. "Liberty Ammunition Civil Defense 10mm Automatic cartridges."

"I didn't know you had a Bren Ten stashed somewhere." James coughed blood. "Sonofabitch, he really got me."

"Shall I end you?"

"Just give the Coup De Grace, the pain is getting…" He coughs more blood. "Unbearable."

"Farewell, old friend."

"Ciao a Tutti."

 _BANG_

The shot pierces James' skull, killing him instantaneously. For a moment, Don Giovanni stood there in shock. Did he really just kill the most powerful criminal in all of Elysium? He turned towards Monte Carlo, the principality clearly visible from up here. There were definitely many things waiting for him. Heck, he might even get Charmaine to become his secretary and mistress. After all, who wouldn't want to have such a beautiful lady become one of their own?

He chuckled and shook his head; things have never seemed better for him.


	10. Another Man's Reality

**Another Man's Reality**

Oh, if only Don Giovanni's dreams were true. Truth is, he never recovered from the terrible wounds he sustained when the Hellfire missile struck. Though the doctors tried their best to save him, he was too far gone by the time he reached the hospital. There was simply nothing they could do. Most of his Soldatos were willing to work with Don Burnett, given how much they admired and respected him. But his most loyal men refused to cooperate.

They created a splinter organization, one which was quickly wiped out in a short but bloody confrontation. When he finally wiped out the last of those who remained loyal to his former friend, James found himself in a position his father could only dream of. All of Elysium belonged to him. From the British Isles all the way to Poland, and stretching down to the island of Sicily, the whole of the Elysian continent, these were the territories now under his control. Those on his payroll almost doubled and many associates wasted no time visiting the one and only Don of the Elysian Mafia to show their loyalty.

But for James, things were just not the way he liked anymore. Though he was now officially the only Mafia boss and the most powerful criminal of the underworld, he knew what he did to achieve such a position. Many innocents he killed just to keep secrets and while he knew he helped plenty of friends, most notably Littlefoot the Apatosaurus, James knew he killed more innocents than those who actually deserved to die. The only reason he never felt like this before was because he had a loving wife.

Madame Charmaine, the most beautiful and seductive lady he had ever met, helped him through each day. Her unwavering loyalty and devotion to him was what kept him going even after he did something no one would forgive. Now it seems even she was prepared to ditch him. That argument they had in the Aston Martin was the only conversation they had for the entire trip. And as they drew nearer to the glorious looking Villa in Palermo, James felt a great urge to shoot himself in the head.

"Don Burnett." The chief who commanded the Soldatos tasked with keeping the villa safe greeted him. "Welcome to your new home."

"Take my wife and kids for a walk." He replies with a smile. "I'll need some alone time."

"Roger that."

Once James had his Aston Martin Rapide parked in the driveway, he sat patiently as he waited for his wife to ready up. The chief came by and opened the door for her and the kids. As instructed, he began the tour as soon as they were ready. James on the other hand went straight for the kitchen and fetched himself a bottle of Gran Riserva before heading out into the pool area. It wasn't because he wanted to drown himself after downing a full bottle but because the view from here was simply amazing.

He places his arms against on the top of the glass and took a gulp of beer. From here he could see the hills and the ocean; quite a majestic view indeed.

"James." Charmaine said as she wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. "I'm sorry about the argument."

"I don't blame you, my dear." He sighed with a smile. "Truth is, I'm not a role model father at all."

"And I'm willing to accept your faults."

"Well that's a sudden change in attitude."

"Marco, the chief who is responsible, talked to me about the importance of a Don's woman. He told me you were facing a lot of pressure."

"Many things I've done I wish to remain a secret."

"And I'm not going to be nosy and ask you about it." She gives her old seductive smile, one James hadn't seen on her face in ages. "Come on, I'm cooking dinner tonight."

* * *

Her determination and will to live was all Ali needed to survive. Though water did rush into her nostrils and she did choke, Littlefoot's former girlfriend eventually broke the surface once more. And by then, the coast guard had come to her aid. One of the crew members on board the RHIB pulled her on board and wrapped her in a blanket as they moved the boat towards the docks. More men could be seen rushing down the dock itself, among them three police officers of the Federal Police.

Once they dragged her ashore, the police officers took control of the situation. Due to the terrible conditions, they did not place her in leg cuffs but they did mention they were taking her away, not to prison but to Elysium's psychiatric hospital for war veterans to give her a full checkup. Littlefoot caught up with her at the entrance to the dock and he told the cops to leave them be momentarily.

"Why didn't you just let me drown?" She asked.

"Truth is, Ali. I still have feelings for you." He answers. "If I didn't, Don Burnett might've been the one visiting you."

"So you still love me?"

"As a friend, perhaps a mistress, but not more."

The driver of the van which would take Ali to the hospital beeped the horn; it was time for her to go. Before she departed, the female Apatosaurus and her former boyfriend made sure to embrace one last time and they did not forget the Nuzzle of friendship. Soaked by the rain and hearing the sound of waves crashing in the background, Littlefoot watched his ex-girlfriend hop into the back of the white van and disappear round the corner.

Not too long after, his driver came and picked him up. During the short drive back to his office, the Apatosaurus pondered about what he said earlier. "Perhaps a mistress", those three words were highlighted in his mind. Ever since he founded Great Valley Airlines, his pal James Burnett had reminded him that all businessmen tend to have mistresses one way or the other. They could be his secretary or a longtime friend.

Cera would certainly disapprove of this, Littlefoot thought.


End file.
